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    Udon Yama

    4.2 (239 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Noodles
    Closed • 9:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Udon Yama Photos

    Business Info

    UDON YAMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Nikutama with egg on the side and squid tempura
    Vicki L.

    Came here because we wanted udon and there was no way we were going to wait for Marugame Udon when we have a location at home (we're from SF). This place is just as good without the wait! We grab whatever tempura that they had out and order the udon at the register. The udon came out so quick! Utensil station had the tempura sauce and water is self-serve. Seating is free for all but we didn't have a problem finding seats because it wasn't that busy. I thought the squid tempura was a decent size but disappointed that the tempura wasn't crunchy. I would skip it next time. The nikutama was filling and tasted just as good! Good portion of meat and noodles, noodles were super bouncy and fresh. I can't comment on the egg because I didn't eat it. Overall a good find, and definitely comparable to Marugame. Come here instead, no wait and affordable prices!

    Large Hot Nikutama, fried mushrooms, sweet chicken
    Dani J.

    I was the first person to arrive when they opened at 11 am. Having never been, the options for grabbing individual ala carte add ons was interesting start. Next time I would pass on the fried items because the udon was extremely filling. The AC it strong, so I got the hot option. The bench seating is a bit hard, there are no comfy cushions, but lots of seating throughout. I chose the Nikutama because it was the best seller. It was a little sweet but I liked it!

    Beef udon and a fried egg tempura.
    Lynn L.

    Went once and came back again! I like that Udon Yama is not super busy, they are fast, and there are nice people work there. Some of the tempura isn't super fresh and crunchy, but the udon noodle soup makes up for it. How it works here is that you get in line, grab a tray, select the tempura you want and other small bites, decide on the udon or curry dish you want, pay, and then go find a place to sit. Once done with dining, you can set your tray in a specific area, and they will take it from there. There's free water next to that drop off area. I like their chili flakes. I get a container, pour a mountain of chili flakes, and drop in some broth and make it a poor man's chili paste. So good. Utensils are provided by the seating area. Definitely recommend if you're in the Stix Asia food hall area if you're craving some udon! I need to come back to try their curry and lemon udon bowl. Thanks, Udon Yama for being my first udon experience in Waikiki!

    AmberAyame T.

    Still my favorite udon place ever. I always get the same thing. Large, cold kitsune udon w boiled/ tempura egg. The kids always get koroke and zucchini tempura. I'm always so excited for summers in Oahu, I think a lot of why is for this udon dish lol.

    Chelsea R.

    We were in the mood for comfort food and Udon Yama didn't disappoint. We ordered the beef udon and the broth was so flavorful and comforting. The udon noodles had such a good texture and were thicker than some udon I've had in the past. Overall, we definitely would come back again

    ken k.

    Came when they opened. Everything was cold, it sucked! So bummed Udon was good Probably won't be back

    Reasonable for Waikiki.
    Chez T.

    Located at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza food hall Udon Yama is good for a quick bite. There's a small buffet portion where you help yourself and pay by the item. Then when you get to the cashier you place your udon or curry order, order your drinks and pay for the items you helped yourself to. The sweet chicken that was in the self serve line was very tasty. Our curry was ready quickly and you seat yourself at any available table. There is a water station for self serve water and when you're done a place to drop off your dishes. There's no table service for anything and the place is kinda small. It's definitely a place where you eat and go, not somewhere to leisurely take your time. Prices are Waikiki prices so a little higher than average. Curry was good.

    2 #10's for lunch.
    Bob S.

    The food is very authentic and flavorful. It's like actually being in Japan as we go there often. The service was terrific with Tadashi at the helm. I love the ambiance and the ability to take what you need for takeout containers, bag and other things you wish to add to your food prior to take out. The place is super clean and cared for. What a great lunch we had and locals get a 5% discount which is great.

    Beef lift
    Sam Z.

    I'm a local guy, that never comes to Waikiki, but I gotta say udon Yama is a good dine and dash. The line was out the door, and pretty casual.. Service was fast, pick your add-ons as well as pick your meal. Tonight, I had the beef udon which was flavorful and delicious and reasonably priced. Service was friendly, and courteous. Do I like coming to Waikiki ? No. But if I'm in the neighborhood, I would come back again. Follow me on Insta: @noodlesoupr Follow me on Yelp!

    Khoa L.

    Super disappointing. Fell for the reviews saying this was a better alternative to marugame and was such a lie. More expensive for way lesser quality food. Lukewarm temp and smaller portions.

    Fish cake tempura
    Evana L.

    This is my regular udon spot. I love the Nikutama and the Lemon bowls. I've tried the hot and cold broth of Nikutama and both are so satisfying. The Lemon bowl that only comes in cold is especially refreshing on a hot day in Waikiki. The broth is addicting and it's perfectly seasoned so that it's not too sour but it has just the right amount of acidity to make the simple bowl stand out. Their noodles have a consistent texture every time which I can rely on and appreciate. I've tried many of their tempuras and my favorites are the egg, zucchini, and seafood pancake. On top of that, the restaurant is such an easy and casual stop for lunch or dinner as they're right in front of the entrance of Stix, they have plenty of tables, and the self service bars for the tempura, utensils, and sauce are awesome.

    Nikutama Udon with (clockwise, from top) Chicken Tempura with Sweet Sauce, Zucchini Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura, and Shrimp Tempura
    Mike L.

    Considering how long they've been around and how Hawaii is always so hot/warm, it's amazing to me how Marugame Udon still manages to attract a crowd. On multiple occasions, the line practically stretched around the corner! So, it's no wonder that, as we walked through the Stix Asia food hall, Udon Yama and its relatively modest line caught our eye. The same type of set-up and menu, yet in a much cooler space, with less than half the wait and plenty of available seating? How could we not give this place a shot? While the obvious similarities they share with Marugame Udon gave us hope, it should be said that even if they didn't, Udon Yama legitimately looked pretty appealing on its own. As we made our way down the line past the trays of tempura and side dishes, not only did everything look pretty good, but they felt a bit more varied as well. What's more, the range of entrees offered so many enticing options. While we were obviously here to try their udon (which they had almost a half dozen varieties of, served both hot or cold), I have to admit I felt more than a little tempted by their Katsu Curry Rice and Beef Bowl. -- (#1) NIKUTAMA UDON with Sweet Beef, Onion, and Hot Spring Egg (Hot)...$14.95 This was great! I loved the broth, which had a nice beefy flavor with a bit of sweetness to it, the noodles were well cooked with a nice bite, and there was fairly generous amount of beef in the bowl. Delicious! -- ZUCCHINI TEMPURA...$2.50 Hardly amazing, but not too shabby either. This legitimately might have been the longest zucchini tempura I've seen, but what I liked most was that it wasn't at all overcooked or mushy. -- SHRIMP TEMPURA...$2.50 Pretty straightforward, but still terrific! Since it's their most popular tempura, the workers were constantly refilling the tray, so these were especially hot and crispy. As for the shrimp itself, it was really plump and meaty. -- SWEET POTATO TEMPURA...$3 Of all of the vegetable tempura items we had, this was easily my favorite! The potato was soft, with a sort of creaminess to it, but still had some bite to it. -- CHICKEN TEMPURA WITH SWEET SAUCE...$4.50 Even though it's called Chicken Tempura, this felt a little closer to Karaage. Either way, this was pretty solid. The batter wasn't quite as crispy as I would've liked, but the chicken itself was really juicy and it tasted far better than the one I've had in the past at Marugame Udon. -- (#4) BEEF UDON with Sweet Beef and Onion in Kake Broth (Hot)...$10.75 Pretty similar to the Nikutama, though not entirely alike. Besides the obvious absence of the egg, the other thing we noticed was that this broth didn't taste quite as sweet. A little more plain in that sense, but still pretty good! -- MUSHROOM TEMPURA...$2.50 This just wasn't very good, though, to be fair, I don't think mushroom tempura ever really works since they're like sponges. So, as much as I appreciated how big this was, it felt a little soggy and oily. -- MIXED VEGETABLE TEMPURA...$3.50 Kind of similar to Yachae Twigim (Korean shredded veggie tempura), but not quite as good. That's not to say that this tasted bad, though; it's just that this one had a bit more batter, so it was harder for the veggies to stand out. -- SOFT BOILED EGG TEMPURA...$2.50 I only had a bite of this one, but what I had was pretty decent. I don't usually go for egg tempura because of how the batter doesn't usually stick to the egg, but I liked how the yolk on this one was so gooey. While what we had at Udon Yama wasn't as good as what I had when I first visited Marugame years ago, the same could be said for the trips I've made to the latter's locations in the Bay Area. Plus, when you factor in the shorter wait times, not having to wait outside, how much more seating there is here, and, most importantly, the fact that the food here isn't dramatically far off, I'd probably opt to come back here just to save on time and for the convenience...and to try their Katsu Curry Bowl!

    nikutama cold
    jessica l.

    I came at 7:30pm on a Tuesday and there was plenty of seating. The service is extremely fast and the workers are nice. The restaurant is well decorated and very spacious. I got the cold nikutama and it was good, but not my favorite cold udon (that goes to yume in boston). The broth was lukewarm and lacked a little bit of flavor to me. The noodles themselves were cooked well and the meat was yummy --umami and slightly sweet. I wish the broth had a little more depth, but for the convenience I would come again.

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    Udon Yama Reviews in Other Languages

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    Fun Station

    Fun Station

    4.5(703 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    •$$

    I came here maybe 5-6 years ago when they first opened, mainly to try their famous "flying…read morenoodles," which were such a trend back then. Honestly, everything was just okay--nothing really stood out to me--so we never came back. Over the years, though, I kept hearing friends talk about this place and say it was one of their favorite Chinese restaurants. I was still not convinced... and then my husband started hearing the same thing from more and more people. So, here I am, finally giving them another try! And WOW... the menu has changed and expanded so much since the last time I was here. There are so many more options now, and everything we ordered was flavorful and tasty. The portions are HUGE, and you can definitely tell they don't skimp on the ingredients, produce, or seasoning. We ordered the salted egg chicken wings and the stir-fried ong choy--both were really good! The drinks were also tasty, although they were a little not sweet enough for me, But I'd definitely order one again when I'm feeling healthier. Where have I been all these years?! ‍ This place has officially become one of my favorite spots for Chinese food. Sometimes you really do have to give a place a second chance!

    You could drive past this place a hundred times without giving it a second thought. It's tucked…read moreinto a small strip mall, the dining room is no frills and if someone told me it was just another average neighborhood Chinese restaurant, I'd probably believe them. Then the food starts arriving. We ordered way more than we needed and almost everything impressed me. The chow fun was cooked exactly the way I like it. Chewy, smoky and never overcooked. My only complaint was that it leaned a little saltier than I prefer, but it was still very good. The Hainan chicken was the surprise of the meal. Perfectly tender with an incredible ginger sauce that I'd happily put on just about anything. Even the dishes I normally avoid won me over. I've never been much of a lotus root person, but theirs was crisp, savory and honestly delicious. The wontons were another highlight. Since we skipped the noodles, they generously gave us extra wontons instead, which was a really thoughtful touch. What really pushed this place from good to memorable, though, was the staff. We were there with our two and four year old and they couldn't have been kinder. They brought over little toys to keep the kids occupied, checked on us throughout the meal and made us feel genuinely welcome. None of it felt forced. It was just warm, thoughtful hospitality and that's something I always remember long after I've forgotten exactly what I ate. The bathroom situation isn't ideal, you have to use the one outside the restaurant, but that's really my only complaint beyond the slightly salty chow fun. This isn't the place I'd recommend for date night or a long evening out. It's the kind of neighborhood restaurant you walk into expecting very little, then leave thinking, that was a lot better than it had any right to be. We'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Fun Station - Inside the restaurant.....

    Inside the restaurant.....

    Fun Station - Choi Sum & Beef Cake Noodle

    Choi Sum & Beef Cake Noodle

    Fun Station - Lamb Bricket Tendon Clay Pot

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    Lamb Bricket Tendon Clay Pot

    Mian & Bao

    Mian & Bao

    4.3(324 reviews)
    1.8 mi•Ala Moana
    •$$

    Ward Centre closed down along with multiple businesses…read more Before they closed their doors, I ate at Mian & Bao. My friend and I ordered their fried chicken cutlet, beef pancake rolls, Chengdu dan dan noodles, signature beef fried rice, pan fried pork buns, and pan fried chicken dumplings. The fried chicken cutlet was okay. The side of mayo and sweet chili helped but it was too dry. It would have been better if the chicken cutlet was juicy. The Chengdu Dan Dan noodles which had the ground beef, green onions and spice sauce in the bottom. Mixing this dish before eating was pretty good. The spice made this simple noodles dish, better. My favorites were the beef pancake rolls, and pan fried pork buns. The beef pancake rolls were sliced beef with cucumbers rolled up in a thin wrap. I liked how crispy the wraps were. They were thick and great as a sharing appetizer. The pan fried pork buns weren't full of soup-goodness but it was still fire. The crispy sides from the pan and the great pork flavor. So, good. The service was very nice and refilled our waters. Sad that they had to close down but they were be merging with Chengdu Taste in July.

    Wife and I had a late lunch at Mian & Bao…read more Service was fast with no frills. We were seated quickly and ordered via app at the table. We enjoyed shrimp long bao and the fried chicken cutlets with house made mayo. I was surprised that they didn't have steamed rice available on the day but didn't miss it enough to pay up for the shrimp fried rice plate. The bao was served boiling hot and was tasty and soupy. The cutlets were nicely cooked: golden brown and delicious. When I asked to use facilities, I was directed to the bathroom in the strip mall behind the restaurant. Food court vibes. Still I'd come back again if I was in the area for a fast, affordable, tasty meal.

    Photos
    Mian & Bao - Newbie in the former Peso location

    Newbie in the former Peso location

    Mian & Bao - Love noodles and dumplings...anticipating its opening!

    Love noodles and dumplings...anticipating its opening!

    Mian & Bao

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    Lam's Kitchen - Beef Chow Fun

    Lam's Kitchen

    4.4(660 reviews)
    3.2 mi•Chinatown
    •$$

    Living on Maui, one of my favorite noodle dishes is chow fun…read more The child phone beef dish here made Maui chow look like dog poop. My girlfriend ordered the Singapore bitter melon doodle dish, and it was crazy fantastic. The melon was bitter...It was an odd flavor... But new to my pallete. Once I added hoisin sauce, it took it to the next level. I don't think I could go here every week, because the flavors would probably blend together... But once a month, 100% I am hitting this place. If you're in the area, you need to make it a point to come here. Service was on point.

    FIRST time customer - Growing up only 2 blocks away from this location 70 years ago I vividly…read morerecall walking with my POPO and mother headed into Chinatown to spend the morning shopping at the open MARKET and after to have LUNCH at either Char Hun Sut and or Tin Tin - Our favorite order was soup'n noodles , a steaming HOT bowl of "Won Ton Mein" and or "Wor Won Ton Mein" - Mmmmm - After the KAPOLEI Chinese restaurant in KAPOLEI "closed" so abruptly and PERMANENTLY I was shocked and extremely UPSET since very few "old school" Chinese restaurants here on Oahu still cook the type of dishes that my CANTONESE pallet craves and savors - Still reeling from this loss and desperate to satisfy my hunger for just a DELICIOUS bowl of "Won Ton Mein" - So desperate for this specific cuisine I went on line searching "YELP" to search for a recommendation and came across this restaurant "Lam's Kitchen" - I drove from my home in EWA Beach (West Loch Fairways Townhomes) into Chinatown in the old RIVER STREET neighborhood hoping that this restaurant would have something that would satisfy my desperate craving for a great bowl of "Won Ton Mein". I arrived at noon and was very lucky to find a metered parking spot across from the restaurant on the very first try - As I entered I noticed that the room was very crowded and that here was only ONE open table so I sat down immediately and ordered the "Won Ton Mein" as the waitress approached me with a menu - I have to note that although this restaurant was located inside of a very old building the interior was a very sharp contrast - Everything appeared fresh and modern with very basic hand built picnic type bench seating and dining tables constructed of varnished raw wood (very spartan but practical and comfortable) - The bowl of soup was of average size and appeared very sparse with not much color - There was "NO" Pork Char Sui slices, only steaming hot clear chicken broth, a clump of thin Vermicelli white opaque noodles accompanied with a few small pieces of both chopped Mustard, Napa Cabbages and slivers of Green Onions - Extremely simple and basic. There were exactly "4" individual Won Ton that were filled with a tiny chunk of SHRIMP mixed into minced PORK HASH and regular spices (basic Soy sauce and Sesame Oil) - The "won ton PI" was very thin and light and the saimin noodles were made of the same Rice Flour mixture also - The broth was hot and savory but nothing special only because it was so "bland" to the taste. Although the restaurant was crowded to its Maximum Capacity within 15 minutes of my arrival it had practically "emptied itself out" with only myself a one other table of 6-dinners getting their food too. I will probably return to eat at this restaurant if and when I get another pressing urge to satisfy one of my insatiable cravings to drive all across Oahu from EWA Beach to Chinatown in the city of Honolulu . The "PLUS" about this visit is that it was clean and the service was average but not disappointingly "long" despite how busy and crowded the entire restaurant was when I first arrived

    Photos
    Lam's Kitchen - So clean and spacious

    So clean and spacious

    Lam's Kitchen - Beef Chow Fun

    Beef Chow Fun

    Lam's Kitchen

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    Shima Dreams Of Noodles - Sesame Sauce Biang Biang. 5-spice ground pork, cucumber, green onion, iso peanuts, lime.

    Shima Dreams Of Noodles

    4.6(7 reviews)
    2.2 mi•Kaka'ako

    About 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, there was already a line of people placing their order for fresh…read morepulled noodles. We were told that the first batch would be served about 11 a.m. so we quickly put our order in. The first thing that caught my attention, was the savory aroma of their 5-spice ground pork being cooked. You can add this as a topping to the noodle dish. The second thing that caught my attention, was the labor of love going in to each order of fresh pulled noodles. You can watch him stretch the dough ball and slap it on the counter before he boils each batch with careful preparation. The third thing that caught my attention, was their adorable mother, helping to slice the cucumbers and top each dish with crushed iso peanuts. Do not forget to order the side of pickled bittermelon....so good!! From beginning to end, this was an incredible experience of all my senses! To see and hear them at work and then to taste the delicious sesame sauce on the fresh pulled noodles....WOW! The soft noodles, the crisp bittermelon, and the savory sauce....super delish! Seriously, go early to place your order. The wait is totally worth it :) Will come back next time to try other menu items.

    Shima Dreams of Noodles is a pop-up, located at Fishcake -…read more This place supposedly has a huge following, and people anticipate for the changing menu of various noodle dishes. When we went, the menu focused on udon: +Hot Yamakake Udon with Quail Egg (a special) +Cold Yamakake Udon (a special) +Hot Udon +Cold Udon The special udon dishes are servied with tororo (grated mountain yam), housemade tsukudani (seaweed braised in a sweet Japanese sauce), crispy nori, green onions, and an option to add wasabi. We went for both the hot and cold udon specials - I think it was a consensus that we would have liked to have more noodles in the dish. This is definitely a sweeter dish, with the tororo and the tsukudani. The place already had a long line, and the best way to enjoy would be to dine-in. Note that if you do order a carry-out, the quail egg would not be included. +ordering online is available +changing menu of noodle dishes +popup at Fishcake

    Photos
    Shima Dreams Of Noodles - Making fresh udon noodles!

    Making fresh udon noodles!

    Shima Dreams Of Noodles - Fresh pulled noodles with sesame sauce, 5 spice ground pork, and side of pickled bittermelon, so yum!

    Fresh pulled noodles with sesame sauce, 5 spice ground pork, and side of pickled bittermelon, so yum!

    Shima Dreams Of Noodles

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    Udon Yama - japanese - Updated September 2026

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